Archive for February, 2014

Are you tired of shoveling snow, chipping ice off of your windshield, hunkering in all winter? Maybe a two-story home sounded good until years of trudging up and down the stairs with three loads of laundry every day set in your aching joints. If you are ready for a move to a warmer climate, then you are ready for a new house plan. With its stucco exterior well-suited for living in the southwestern United States, this is a house plan that will help you fit in with the locals. And you will fit in it. No more stairs as everything is on one level in this ranch plan. But if you do feel the need for altitude adjustment, try the sunken great room for a change of pace. You will find yourself moving with efficiency from the attached two-car garage, to the laundry room, to the kitchen island and into the study. With no more snow to shovel, you can devote your time to the landscaping opportunities created by the front courtyard and back patios, one of which has exclusive access from the master bedroom. If you find yourself missing the cold, you can lay back and reminisce about it in the whirlpool tub in you master bath. With less time devoted to shoveling snow and running up and down stairs, you may want to take the opportunity to entertain. Escort your guests from the courtyard and covered porch, through your own gallery of family photographs, and into the dining room or great room, or out to the rear patio. When the kids finally leave the nest, you’ll have two secondary bedrooms to use for guests – the friends and family left behind in the cold, who are ready to escape to your adobe sanctuary. Consider this one-story house plan for your new change-of-pace life.

When you look out into your backyard, do you see an unorganized mess with toys strewn about the yard, leaf rakes propped against the side of the house, and your patio furniture tucked under a tarp for the winter months? If your yard seems cluttered or you feel like you have more outdoor items that you know what to do with, consider building a lawn and garden shed. Most are attractive and fit neatly into a backyard. Furthermore, they are extremely functional. These versatile designs can accommodate a variety of needs. Some common uses include:

Storage for lawn and garden tools such as the lawn mower, leaf blower, and sprinkler

Potting shed for gardening enthusiasts offering a place to store pots, potting mix and shovels while providing a place to care for and pot plants

Storage for lawn an patio furniture throughout the winter months

Ideal for parking the family bikes and storing other outdoor toys like baseball bats and gloves, Frisbees, etc.

Tool storage for the family handyman

Outdoor workshop

Art studio

Storage space for the recycling bins

Playhouse for the kids/grandkids

There are many more ways you can use a backyard or lawn and garden shed. Your imagination is the limit. If you’d like to view backyard shed plans, please visit The Garage Plan Shop’s outstanding collection of storage shed designs.